A Stay in the Ski Resorts of Les Arcs and the Paradiski
Submitted by Andy_B on Tuesday, 25 January 2022 Page Views: 1784
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Les Arcs as a resort village is just 15 years old, so has a modern yet classic design with fantastic views of Mont Blanc. It is part of the Paradiski ski area in the Tarentaise Valley, part of the Savoie region in the heart of the French Alps. There is uninterrupted skiing between the areas of Les Arcs, Peisey-Vallandry and La Plagne, linked by the Vanoise Express lift. Overall the three resorts boast 160 lifts and almost 450 km (270 miles) of pistes, with around 150 green/blue (beginner) runs, 80 red (intermediate) runs, and 20 black (expert) runs. For kids there are easy fun Slopes and a kid's forest. Read on for more about what you can enjoy.As well as skiing in Les Arcs in France you can enjoy many other winter sports, such as Bobsleigh, Toboggan, Snook - an easy sit on sledge, and also two seater sledges to share the fun.
Ski Joëring is a sporting discipline combining skiing and horse riding. A horse or pony pulls the skier behind them. It is accessible to all skiers, regardless of their level and age.
The natural waterfalls of Champagny, freeze up during the winter and are the playground of frost climbers. To simulate this a 24 metre high ice tower has been constructed so you can challenge your skills at ice climbing, with opportunities for experts and beginners alike.
In a much more relaxing form, don't miss the Ice Grotto and bar. Around the village there are many shops and places to eat also.
The village streets of Les Arcs are completely car-free and basically work as an extension of the ski runs of the Paradiski area. If you stay in Arc 1950 you can ski directly from the door of your residence and back without having to take your skis off.
Around the 5 star rated residences there is an Indoor swimming pool, an outdoor heated pool, a hammam, sauna, and jacuzzi.
There are lots of things to do in summer as well:
Vanoise National Park, or Parc national de la Vanoise is situated between the Tarentaise and Maurienne valleys and was France's first national park.
Its emblem is the Alpine ibex, which abound in the park. The alpine chamois, like the ibex, spend most of the year above the tree line. They descend in early spring and late autumn to enjoy the grass as it is uncovered.
Other animals to look out for are the Alpine marmot, wolf, Eurasian lynx and mountain hare.
There are more than 100 bird species in the protected area. Birds of prey include bearded vulture, golden eagle and Eurasian eagle-owl, and there are many other birds native to the area, including black woodpeckers, rock ptarmigans, Alpine accentors, nutcrackers, choughs and black grouses. Wallcreepers also roost on the steep cliffs.
There are many trails for walking, riding and biking through this wild location.
I hope this has whetted your appetite to visit this amazing area. If you go for a Luxury ski holiday in Les Arcs you may find yourself wanting to return at other times of year to explore further...
With many thanks to Philip Milne, Su May and Bruce Baker for their kind help and support of this article, including their lovely Creative Commons photos.
